Million Nurse March....just like the ANA?

Claim to represent the Nurses of this country? use the number million ? Help or hinder?
Looked at past posts, can you say I told you so?
What a crying shame...Remeber this?
Yes,
It's me- nursedude- The guy (also an RN) who holds nothing back...I figured the title of this post would go straight through your heart.

Someone emailed me and asked me to post over here on this string....So, here I am. Here is the conversation we had:

"nursedude,-
&gt;I've seen your recent postings on the allnurses bb re: recommending
&gt;nursing. Hope you swing over once in a while to the million nurse
&gt;march board on the same site and offer up your spirited messages."

Here is my reply:

"Thanks for the invitation...I have been reading the posts on the million nurse string/area of www.allnurses.com but at this point I am not going to post.

In my opinion, I believe that no matter how many nurses march, 10, 100, 100,000,000 that it will not change much...

My personal opinion is that instead of a march what is needed is a nationwide "sick day" by all nurses in every hospital, insurance company, doctors office, schools, clinics and everywhere else nurses work. I think that the media won't even give the mnm the time of day...If the media did give it some airtime it would soon be overlooked... Maybe there would be something else big going on- the superbowl, the world series, heck, maybe Garth Brooks would be on TNN- Country network doing a charity concert for wayward seagulls.

See, all these nurses will march. And a day or two later they'll go back home and go back to work. And that will be it. Maybe mnm will be in the newspaper. Or better yet, on the internet at www.allnurses.com where no one but nurses will read about it. Big deal.

See XXXXX, I am a guy. I don't like to play "touch footbal"; not one hand, and not two hand. I like good old fashioned tackle football...

So, you might say, whats the difference - March vs. mass call-off? Well, the difference is if most every nurse called off on the same day vs only some nurses marching(while their friends covered their shift back home)- well it's like dropping a nuclear bomb vs squirting someone with a squirt gun.

If you want to play with the boys, first you must get their attention and then you have to play like the boys.

I doubt that I'd get much support for this opinion. Why? Well of course, I can hear it now- "Who would take care of the patients?"

nursedude"

Just what is it that you girls want to accomplish with the million nurse march??? I use the word girls because I believe that is exactly what the rest of the country will percieve the mnm as- a bunch of girls squawking- overpaid and under-educated whining blondes...How many years are you willing to march??? It's a good idea- but it's weak.

For all of you who don't know me, please excuse my sarcasm. It's not that mnm march isn't a good idea, it's that I don't believe it will accomplish much... What will accomplish much??? Well, we are hearing so much about the current/upcoming nursing shortage right? The only thing it seems that is causing nursing to become more of an issue is the lack of the nurse at the bedside... I'm sorry, but that seems like the only thing that will catch anyones attention. Look in the papers and on the news section of this site. So many nurses are going union and many of the already unionized are striking. It's apparent to me that the only thing that causes the hospital and insurance executives to hear the nurse is the lack of the nurse.

Please don't take the whining blonde thing personally(unless you feel that description fits). I use that- sarcasm, to get your attention and hopefully change your point of view and perspective.

So tell me, what do you think?

AND NOW WE HAVE THIS?

After reading Nurse4kids post "wildtime right about MNM?", i deside to join in the public web meeting they had tonight with the new leadership. During the meeting I asked them to respond to the problems that nurse4kids mentioned. The following is a post I left on their disscussion baord after the encounter.
_____________________________________________
I understand there has been some e-mail reporting problems within the board and as a result 2 of the original founders have even left the organization.

I posed questions at the live web meeting tonight Saturday, April 14th. They was an out right refusal to answer or clear up the problems publicly. I posted under the name "Interested" and one of the lame reasons giving for not answering my questions was that I would not give my name.

Now correct me if I am wrong but is this not supposed to be a public organization based on the fact that there really is no formal membership. There are no dues to pay or contract to sign. This memship is supposed to based on particiapation of all nurses and such should have nothing to hide.

Two of the original board members have disassociated them selves from this organization which they in fact were at the very origin of conception of it.

But now it is excluding potential and existing members by not being forthright.

Does everyone know that it was announced that the vision and mission statement are going to be rewritten. There is no prior mention of this on the home page or announcement page. Did everyone agree to this?

I have to wonder if this post will be removed so that no one will see it as well.

Nursedude and Wildtime88 had it right on the mark.Just wanted to share the love....
Seriously, is anyone doing anything about this? For all the talk of nursing advocacy and the Million Nurse March is sooo great, the be all to end all. The board members left? Ethical dilemmas?
We need an uprising in this country and as long as you sit back and let people piss on you they will.
WHO will represent you?

May 5, '01

Great News...
I just started the best Nursing association in the USA, don't bother reading the fine print,it will take too long.Just send you hard earned dollars to ME, I promise I will take your money and pay myself a big fat salary then I will produce willy-nilly rantings and talk to all the media.We can have a big picnic in D.C. and pat each other on the back all for free and for all to see!!!
How rich I will get and how I will control the union I give you, all the while pretending I am working oon your behalf but all the members of the board will have hidden agendas, benefiting ourselves and management. Man when they said the Million Nurse March...the apple did not fall far from the tree did it? The MNM and the ANA...can we come up with an acronym?

May 5, '01

I initially thought the Million Nurse March was a great idea and volunteered to help in anyway I could. However, when the two initial founders left and the leadership changed, I had a bad feeling. My time is very valuable!! I don't waste it on things that start to seem a little shady? I am waiting and watching now to see how things evolve with the MNM.
I would like to add that marches and rallies can be a great way to get your message out and voices heard. I would also be up for a little civil disobedience!! A National sick-out sounds good to me!!
I wish you could of all been in Sacramento, California when nurses were lobbying for the Nurse/Patient Ratio bill. It still gives me goosebumps!! Hundreds of nurses marching into the State Capitol building, wearing their scrubs and white coats, chanting and singing, while the state representatives were in session. Yelling for them to pass our bill!! Nurse's voices ringing through every room of the capitol. It was the proudest moment of my 20+ nursing career.

May 6, '01

Was not sure if I should answer on this post or not (No offense Nurse Dude, we had some heated debates about the MNM in the past)
I must say like I said before,stay very cautious when dealing with the leadership direction of the MNM. I have to say that Nurse Dude was correct when questioning the reality of the Million Nurse March, along with the other early organizer's.I think in time it will prove to show it's own true colors and show the true worth, if any.

Jun 28, '01

I only recently found out that things have changed in the leadership of the million nurse march. And, I have to say I am disappointed. I was gung ho in talking this up with family and friends and at work. I even began selling candles and collecting receipes for the cookbook. Now I must tell all of the those that agreed to buy candles that the march is a hoax and that I am afraid that if I send in the money for the candles the candles would never be sent out. I am frustrated and angry and irritated. I guess nurses really can't stick together. I thought a national call in day was the wrong answer, but now I believe it is the right answer. How else are we going to get nursing to change? I have been a nurse for 17 years and have no plans to leave. I was hoping we could make some changes, but I can now see that was a dream. We have to find a way to keep those of us that are in nursing in nursing and to get those that have left back. What can we do? :mad:

Jul 1, '01

Theres a lot that we can do & a lot that we are doing. Dont sound so down! There ARE solutions out there! Go to the Nurse Activism/Politics topic page on this website & read all about it.

Jul 2, '01

Bamby,
I am sorry you had to experience this let down.Being involved with the MNM from the inception, until resignation related to the leadership dynamics and the change of direction. I felt terrible.
At this bulletin board you can use the search function to read many past discussions about the Million Nurse March. I would also suggest contacting the State Governance in Deleware, where the MNM is Incorporated to file a complaint. If you have given and raised monies for the MNM (allegedly filed 501 (c) (3) non profit?) there are laws that govern non profit organization. This is what I expected to happen after the leadership change...Non materialization of an actual March and a heavy handed push for fundraising. I am truly sorry you were lead down this path.Several of us are still pushing for disclosure.
Please come over to the Nursing Politics and Activism area, join some former organizers and follow a new direction. Proactive Grassroots activism is being achieved everyday for this profession by many good nurses from around the country, whether by themselves, with an association or Union. Don't let the hope you had die in the rubble of the Million Nurs March.
Michele